Thill-coupling



(No Model) W. M. STROTHER.

THILL COUPLING.

No. 447,439. Patented Mar. 3, 1891.

1 90,9161 Willam 12(49270272 r- UNITED STATES E ATE-NT e ILLIAM M. S'IROTIIER, OF LYNCIIBURG, VIRGINIA.

THILL-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 147, 139, dated March 3, 1891.

Application filed May 19, 1890.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM M. STROTHER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lynchburg, in the county of Campbell and State of Virginia, have invented a new and useful Thill-0oupling, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to carriages and wagons, and more particularly to the thill-couplings thereof; and the object of the invention is to improve the construction of couplings of this general character heretofore made by adding thereto means for preventing the displacement of parts and a cushion to take up wear of the parts and to prevent rattling.

To this end the invention consists of the general and specific arrangement of elements hereinafter recited, and illustrated in the drawings, in which-- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the front axle-clip entire, showing my improved thillcoupling as used in connection therewith. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the thill-iron. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the roller. Fig. at is a bottom plan of a roller with a differently-shaped notch. Fig. 5 is a transverse section of the roller shown in Fig. 4.

Referring to the said drawings, A is the thilliron, having holes for fastening it to the shafts of a carriage, although it may be clipped thereto, as preferred.

B is the clip, which is secured to the front axle of the vehicle in the usual manner.

0 G are cars or lugs extending forwardly from the front member of the clip and provided with a transverse cylindrical hole open near the top, as at c, as well as with a front vertical slot or opening between them, lettered S.

D is the cylindrical roller fitting the transverse hole through the ears 0 and having a groove for the reception of the T-shaped head G of the thill-iroii, the said head being passed downwardly through the passages c in the ears into the groove in the roller and then turned so as to stand in the position shown in Fig. 1, all asis common in this class of devices.

Coming now to the present invention, the roller D has a lug L at its center, located preferably about ninety degrees forward of its,

groove, whereby when the rolleris passed into the end of the transverse hole through the Serial No. 3 5 Z, 3 '7 '7. (N0 model.)

cars it must be turned so that this lug shall pass through the passage 0, after which, when it is turned forwardly to bring its groove be low said passage 0, the lug L will pass into the slot S and the roller will be thereby prevented from lateral displacement. The head G of the thill-iron is then passed into the passages c and seated in the groove in the-roller D, as heretofore and when the thills have been carried to their normal position '(having been raised to a vertical in order to insert the head) the front or upper face of the head will stand against the front side of the transverse hole in the ears and thelug L will stand at the bottom of the slot S. It will thus be seen that the wear occasioned by using the device will be upon the top or front of the head G and against the front side of the transverse hole in the ears, and in time the parts will become loose and be liable to rattle considerably. To overcome this I provide an opening V at the bottom of the notch in the roller, which groove stands normally in rear of the head G of the thill-iron, and in this opening I insert a cushion R, preferably of rubber. Said cushion not only bears the head G always forward and into contact with the front side of the hole in the ears, but it also presses the roller rearwardly against the rear side of said hole, and it therefore maintains the part-s in close contact, as is desirable in devices of this character. The passage V may be a narrow notch and of the same sizethroughout its length, as shown in Fig. 3, or its body may be of the same breadth as the groove, or shaped as shown in Fig. 4. In the latter case the rubber cushion B would be positively prevented from longitudinal displacement from the passage by being seated in a hole extending completely through the roller, which hole is narrower at the bottom of the groove than at the outside of the roller, whereas otherwise it would only be so prevented by its lateral expansion, as will be clearly understood.

I claim as the salient points of this invention-- 1. In athillcoupling, the combination, with the clip having forwardly-projecting ears separated by a slot and provided with a transverse cylindrical hole open at its upper side, of a roller having a lug, said roller and lug passing longitudinally into said hole and the opening at the upper side thereof and then turning forwardly with its lug in said slot, and a thill-iron locked in and against turning Within the roller and normally extending through said slot, substantially as described. 2. In a chill-coupling, the combination, with the clip having forwardly-projecting ears separated by a slot and provided with atransverse cylindrical hole, of a roller turning in said hole and having an angular groove in its front side with an opening at the bottom of said groove, a thill-iron passing through said slot and having an angular head standing in said groove, and an expansible cushion in said opening, substantially as set forth.

In a thin-coupling, the combination, with the clip having forwardly-projecting ears separated by a slot and provided with a transverse cylindrical hole, of a roller turning in said hole and having a groove in its front side with an opening at the bottom of said groove, means, substantially described, for preventing the longitudinal displacementof said roller, a thill-iron passing through said slot and having a head standing in said groove, and an expansible cushion in said opening, substantially as set forth.

at. In a thill-coupling, the combination, with the clip having forwardlyprojecting ears separated by a slot and provided with a transverse cylindrical hole, of a roller turning in said hole and having a groove in its front side, with an opening at the bottom of said groove extending through the roller, the body of said opening being tapered, a thill-iron passing through said slot and having ahead standing in said groove, and an expansible cushion in said opening, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

M. l\[. STROTIIER.

\Yitnesses:

CHAS. 13. ROBERTSON, O. C. IIUDSON. 

